Measuring instrument for determining the temperature of semiconductor bodies and method for the manufacture of the measuring instrument

ABSTRACT

The measuring instrument for determining the temperature in the interior of a semiconductor member (1) contains a thermoelement (5) integrated in the semiconductor member. In the manufacture of this measuring instrument, the thermoelement (5) is introduced into a recess (6) of the semiconductor member (1) and the recess (6) is filled out with a material that corresponds to the chemical composition of the environment of the recess (6). The measuring instrument for determining the surface temperature of a semiconductor member contains a thermoelement that is vapor-deposited on the surface of a semiconductor member or contains a thermoelement having a seating weight for placement against the surface of a semiconductor member. In the method for determining the temperature of semiconductor members during tempering processes, it is provided that the measuring instruments determine the temperature of reference semiconductor members. A measuring instrument together with a reference semiconductor member is thereby tempered together with the semiconductor member. The field of employment is the manufacture of semiconductor products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tempering processes must be frequently carried out in the manufacture ofsemiconductor products, for example, semiconductor wafers for electroniccomponents. It is thereby important to exactly monitor the temperatureof a semiconductor member during the tempering process and to exactlyregulate the temperature curve.

A thermoelement attached on a semiconductor member is disclosed in thepublication by P. Baeri et al, "Time Resolved Temperature Measurement ofPulsed Laser Irradiated Germanium By Thin Film Thermocouple" in AppliedPhysics Letters 45, 398 through 400 (1984). In this arrangement, theheating of germanium laminae that are heated with pulsating laser lightis measured. To this purpose, the germanium lamina having an outer beadis placed onto a coaxially arranged bimetal composed of constantan andiron having respective contacting surfaces that are conducted to theoutside and held at room temperature.

Japanese application 60/23 00 26 published Nov. 15, 1985 discloses atemperature measuring instrument for an examination means forsemiconductors. The purpose of this arrangement is comprised inidentifying the condition close to the examination time in that theoutput of the temperature measuring member in a temperature measuringelement having the same shape and the same material as the semiconductorelement is connected to a probe of the examination means via aconductive probe and the identified temperature of the temperaturemeasuring element of the thermometer that was connected to the probe isdisplayed.

The publication by K.A. Carlson, P. Disclafani and I. Osten in IBMTechnical Disclosure Bulletin 14, 3227 (1972) discloses a thermoelementthat is cemented into the substrate material and whose terminal wiresare twisted to form a thicker wire.

The publication by C. L. Eggerding et al in IBM Technical DisclosureBulletin 21, 4839 (1979) recites a temperature measuring means for amulti-layer ceramic, whereby the thermoelement is composed of twochannels arranged in alignment in adjoining layers of the ceramic, thesetwo channels being filled with different metals.

The publication by L. S. Goldmann in IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin26, 1985 (1983) recites a temperature measuring probe for measuring asurface temperature, this being composed of a thermoelement beadprovided with thermoelement wires in a capsule of foil filled withthermally conductive material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to specify methods and measuringinstruments with which the temperature of a semiconductor member can beexactly and reproducibly determined during a tempering process and torecite methods for the manufacture of such measuring instruments.

The object is inventively achieved by a measuring instrument fordetermining the temperature of a semiconductor member having athermoelement composed of a thermoelement sphere and thermoelementwires. The instrument has the thermoelement sphere surrounded on allsides with semiconductor material of which the semiconductor member iscomposed, and the thermoelement wires lead toward the outside throughthe semiconductor material. A method for manufacturing such a measuringinstrument having a semiconductor member of III-V semiconductormaterial, comprises the steps of manufacturing a recess in thissemiconductor member; introducing the thermoelement sphere into thisrecess; filling up the recess with a constituent of the III-Vsemiconductor material; and heating the semiconductor member in anatmosphere containing the other constituent of the III-V semiconductormaterial, so that this constituent is integrated into the material thatfills up the recess. A method for manufacturing a measuring instrumenthaving a semiconductor member composed of a single chemical element,comprises the additional features that a recess is manufactured in thissemiconductor member; that the thermoelement sphere is introduced intothis recess; and that the recess is filled up by selective deposition ofthe chemical element from the vapor phase. A method for manufacturing ameasuring instrument comprises the further features that a recess ismanufactured in this semiconductor member; that the thermoelement sphereis introduced into this recess; that the recess is filled up withpowdery semiconductor material; and that this powdery semiconductormaterial is solidified by re-melting. A measuring instrument fordetermining the surface temperature of a semiconductor member with athermoelement having a thermoelement sphere and having thermoelementwires has the thermoelement sphere resting on the surface of thesemiconductor member; a seating weight that loads the thermoelementsphere being provided; and the thermoelement wires being conductedthrough this seating weight. A method for determining the temperature ofa second semi-conductor member during a tempering process with theassistance of a first semiconductor member that simultaneously passesthrough the same tempering process and at which the temperaturemeasurement is undertaken as a reference semiconductor member, has thesteps of situating the first semiconductor member and the secondsemiconductor member in a tempering kiln in close proximity to oneanother during the temperature measurement; and fashioning the firstsemiconductor member as the measuring instrument as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention shall be set forth below with reference to exemplaryembodiments in the FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a manufacturing step in a methodfor manufacturing a measuring instrument of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an alternative manufacturing stepfor manufacturing the measuring instrument of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a further alternativemanufacturing step for manufacturing the measuring instrument of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 schematically shows a manufacturing step in a method formanufacturing a measuring instrument for determining the temperature inthe interior of a semiconductor member 1. A thermoelement 5 isintegrated in this semiconductor member 1. The thermoelement sphere 7 ofthis thermoelement 5 is situated in a recess of the semiconductor member1 and should be surrounded with semiconductor material on all sides.After the introduction of the thermoelement 5, the recess 6 of thesemiconductor member 1 is filled with powdery semiconductor material 2for this purpose, this semiconductor material 2 having the same chemicalcomposition as the semiconductor member 1 in the environment of therecess 6. The powdery semiconductor material 2 is remelted with theassistance of a laser beam 3 of a laser 4, so that the thermoelementsphere 7 is surrounded on all sides. The re-melting can also be carriedout with different methods, for example, in a furnace. Enough powderysemiconductor material is added so that the recess 6 is just filled upafter the re-melting. The thermoelement wires 8 of the thermoelement 5are conducted out at the side of the recess 6 of the semiconductormember 1.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a manufacturing step in a further method formanufacturing a measuring instrument for determining the temperature inthe interior of a semiconductor member 1. The recess 6 of thesemiconductor member 1, for example, can be created by mechanicalprocessing after the manufacture of the semiconductor member 1. Thethermoelement sphere 7 of the thermoelement 5 is introduced into therecess 6. The thermoelement wires 8 are conducted out at the side of therecess 6 of the semiconductor member 1. In this example, thesemiconductor member 1 is composed of gallium arsenide, a III-Vsemiconductor. After the introduction of the thermoelement 5 into therecess 6, this recess is filled with liquid gallium 22 and theinstrument is introduced into a reaction tube 21. An atmospherecontaining arsenic, for example, having As₄ or AsH₃, is produced in thereaction tube 21. A temperature of about 750° C. is set in the reactiontube 21. The gallium that was introduced into the recess thereby reactswith arsenic to form polycrystalline gallium arsenide that grows intothe semiconductor member 1 and thereby surrounds the thermoelementsphere 7 on all sides.

A further method for filling the recess 6 can be applied when thesemiconductor member 1 is composed of a single chemical element, forexample, silicon or germanium, in the environment of the recess 6. Afterintroduction of the thermoelement 5, the recess 6 of the semiconductormember 1 can then be filled by deposition of the semiconductor elementfrom the vapor phase.

As shown in FIG. 3, the measuring instrument can also be manufacturedsuch that the thermoelement wires 8 are conducted out at a side of thesemiconductor member different from the side into which thethermoelement sphere 7 is introduced.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the arrangement comprising a secondsemiconductor member 31 and a measuring instrument 32 in a temperingkiln 33. The measuring instrument 32 contains a first semiconductormember 1 that is fashioned as reference to the second semiconductormember 31 so that the temperature curve measured in the firstsemiconductor member 1 during the tempering process coincides with thetemperature curve in the second semiconductor member 31. The measuringinstrument 32 is arranged in close proximity to the second semiconductormember 31 so that temperature fluctuations of the environment of thesecond semiconductor member 31 and of the measuring instrument 32 do notlead to measuring errors. The thermoelement wires 8 of the thermoelement5 in this exemplary embodiment are conducted toward the outside throughbores 34 in the first semiconductor member 1 at that side facing awayfrom the second semiconductor member 31. What this achieves is that thesemiconductor members can be arranged in closer proximity. When themeasuring instrument 32 together with the second semiconductor member 31experience the same tempering process, the temperature that prevails inthe interior of the second semiconductor member 31 can be determinedwith this method. The temperature measurement in the interior of thefirst semiconductor member 1 is especially advantageous when thesemiconductor member is subjected to rapid temperature changes and thecurve of the surface temperature therefore differs form the curve of thetemperature in the interior of the semiconductor member. The measuringinstrument 32 can be specifically constructed such that thethermoelement sphere 7 is situated in a specifically defined layer ofthe first semiconductor member 1, so that how the temperature curveproceeds in the comparable layer of the second semiconductor member 31can thus be determined. The temperature determined with the measuringinstrument 32 can be utilized for temperature regulation of thetempering process. The temperature regulation can thus be exactlyadapted to the temperature conditions in the second semiconductor member31.

Some thermoelement materials can chemically react with constituents ofsemiconductors, for example, aluminum of a chromium-alumel thermoelementcan chemically react with arsenic of a semiconductor that containsarsenic. In the measuring instruments, it is therefore provided toemploy a thermoelement that is provided with a thin protective coat ifthere is a risk that constituents of the thermoelement will chemicallyreact with constituents of the semiconductor member. The protectivecoat, for example, can be composed of SiO₂ or Si₃ N₃.

The invention is not limited to the particular details of the apparatusdepicted and other modifications and applications are contemplated.Certain other changes may be made in the above described apparatuswithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention hereininvolved. It is intended, therefore, that the subject matter in theabove depiction shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

We claim:
 1. A measuring instrument for determining the temperature of asemiconductor member having a thermoelement composed of a thermoelementsphere and thermoelement wires, comprising: the thermoelement spheresurrounded on all sides in a recess of the semiconductor member with asame semiconductor material of which the semiconductor member iscomposed; the same semiconductor material in the recess of thesemiconductor member fused to the semiconductor material of thesemiconductor member; and the thermoelement wires leading toward theoutside through the semiconductor material.
 2. A method for determiningthe temperature in the interior of a semiconductor member by forming thethermoelement, in a semiconductor member, composed of a thermoelementsphere and thermoelement wires, the thermoelement sphere surrounded onall sides in a recess of the semiconductor member with a samesemiconductor material of which the semiconductor member is composed,and the thermoelement wires leading toward the outside through thesemiconductor material, comprising the steps of: providing asemiconductor member of Group III-V semiconductor material;manufacturing said recess in said semiconductor member; introducing thethermoelement sphere into said recess; filling up the recess with oneconstituent of the Group III-V semiconductor material; and heating thesemiconductor member in an atmosphere containing another constituent ofthe Group III-V semiconductor material, so that said another constituentis integrated into the one constituent that fills up the recess.
 3. Amethod for determining the temperature in the interior of asemiconductor member by forming the thermoelement, in a semiconductormember, composed of a thermoelement sphere and thermoelement wires, thethermoelement sphere surrounded on all sides in a recess of thesemiconductor member with a same semiconductor material of which thesemiconductor member is composed, and the thermoelement wires leadingtoward the outside through the semiconductor material, comprising thesteps of: providing a semiconductor member composed of a single chemicalelement manufacturing said recess in said semiconductor member;introducing the thermoelement sphere into said recess; and filling upthe recess by selective deposition of the chemical element from a vaporphase.
 4. A method for determining the temperature in the interior of asemiconductor member by forming the thermoelement, in a semiconductormember, composed of a thermoelement sphere and thermoelement wires, thethermoelement sphere surrounded on all sides in a recess of thesemiconductor member with a same semiconductor material of which thesemiconductor member is composed, and the thermoelement wires leadingtoward the outside through the semiconductor material, comprising thesteps of: providing a powdery semiconductor material of a same chemicalcomposition as the semiconductor material of which the semiconductormember is composed; manufacturing said recess in said semiconductormember; introducing the thermoelement sphere into said recess; fillingup the recess with said powdery semiconductor material; and solidifyingsaid powdery semiconductor material.
 5. The method according to claim 4,wherein the step of solidifying said powdery semiconductor material iscarried out by melting at least said powdery semiconductor material witha laser beam.